Soccer Features

PREVIEW: Bayern chase treble in dream final for Hitzfeld

Apr 17, 2008, 10:44 GMT

Hamburg - Bayern Munich are clear favourites to win the German Cup on Saturday in what could be the first step towards a treble of domestic league and cup and a European title, which would be unprecedented in German football. Bayern take on Borussia Dortmund, a team they thrashed 5-0 on Sunday, on the way to what looks to be a certain Bundesliga title. The league leaders underlined their self-confidence with a 3-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, while Dortmund's poor form continued in a dismal 3-1 home defeat to Hanover. Not only are Bayern on a roll, with Luca Toni again scoring twice to take his Bundesliga tally to 20, the Bavarians travel to Berlin's Olympic Stadium knowing they have only lost twice in their 15 previous cup final appearances. The Bundesliga title is now all but wrapped up, with Wednesday's victory keeping them 10 points clear at the top. Bayern are also on course for the UEFA Cup title, with a semi-final first-leg tie coming up next Thursday against Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg. No team in Germany has ever won a treble of league and cup plus a European title, although Bayern came close in 1999. They won the league that season, but lost the Champions League final to Manchester United in stoppage time and were then beaten on penalties by Werder Bremen in the German cup final. 'Had we won (the Champions League final) we would have won the cup final without any trouble,' goalkeeper Oliver Kahn recalled. It will be a seventh cup final for Kahn, 38, in his last season before retiring, and could be his fifth league and cup double. However he warns against any complacency against a Dortmund side he says will have plenty to prove after last Sunday's hammering. 'This cup final will be the most difficult thing. I don't like this 5-0 win at all. It will trigger so much determination by our opponents to make good,' he said. Saturday evening's match will undoubtedly be a special occasion for Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld who comes up against the club he led to their greatest triumphs during the 1990s. 'Dortmund was a part of my life; now its Bayern Munich,' he said. 'The circle is closing because I probably won't be a club coach any more. It's a dream final for me,' he said. Hitzfeld, who becomes Switzerland coach after the summer's European Championships, spent six years at Dortmund before joining Bayern for his his first spell in Munich in 1998. He led Dortmund to consecutive league titles before winning the Champions League in 1997. He has since won four league and two cup titles with Bayern, plus the Champions League and world club championship. Nineteen years after their last cup triumph, a 4-1 defeat of Werder Bremen, Dortmund can only hope a cup title will herald another golden era after several years of mediocrity and financial crises. With Bayern almost certainly in the Champions League, Dortmund can at least look forward to UEFA Cup participation next season as a result of their appearance in the final. Yet coach Thomas Doll will need a vastly improved performance from his team than of late if Borussia's vast following are to celebrate a first trophy since the 2002 league title under Matthias Sammer.

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